


dango

by chadsuke



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Femslash February
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-12 21:02:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13555515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chadsuke/pseuds/chadsuke
Summary: Hinata is rescued - and makes a friend. The world tilts a little sideways after that.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> technically pre-relationship but like w/e idc. happy femslash february!

“Hey,” a voice cuts through, overriding Hinata’s whimpered apologies and the jeering of the boys shoving her down. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Hinata risks a peek upwards – it’s a girl. She doesn’t recognize her, and she’s taller than Hinata and the boys, so she’s probably older than them. With long brown hair pulled back in a braid, a large bandage on her cheek, and bandaids covering her fingers, she cuts an impressive sight. It’s clear she’s a ninja-to-be.

The leader of the boys scoffs, folding his arms. “She’s just apologizing. What’s it to you?”

She considers the four of them, and for one terrified moment, Hinata thinks that she’s going to leave her here. Maybe- Maybe she was wrong, and should’ve watched where she was going, but her knees hurt and her body is shaking and she can’t stop crying, no matter how hard she tries. It’s unbecoming of a Hyuuga, but she wants this girl to save her.

Luck, for once, is on her side, and the older girl frowns. “Then let her up, if she’s apologized for whatever it is.”

He glares back at her. “Are you gonna make me?”

Three on one odds don’t look too good, and Hinata is suddenly very, very concerned for this girl. She doesn’t seem too worried, though, grinning a little. “Yeah. I’ll fight you – all of you.”

“You’re on! Get her!” With a yell, the three boys run forward. It’s uncoordinated, it’s not planned, but three on one still isn’t good, isn’t good at _all_ and-

The brunette punches one of them in the nose. He goes down with a howl, and the girl spins lightly on her feet to kick a second one in the stomach. The third, though-

There’s something heavy on the end of her braid, something clunky, and it whacks into his side and he cries out and turns to flee. But he turns towards _Hinata_ to run.

It takes every ounce of her willpower to move, but the Hyuuga does, sticking out her arm in front of her, trembling, wavering, but it’s enough. The boy trips over it and goes sprawling, and that makes all three boys on the ground.

They’re regrouping, though, starting to push themselves up with groans, and the brunette is in front of her, holding out her hand. “Come on!” she says, giving Hinata a dazzling grin. “Let’s get out of here!”

She stares at her, wide-eyed and confused, and takes it.

The brunette hauls her to her feet and they’re off like a jounin, running like the Kyuubi’s on their heels as they sprint away from the lonely, wooded area and into the streets. They don’t talk, too busy huffing and puffing and bolting for their lives, but when they finally hit one of the main streets, the other girl slows to a stop and Hinata does, too.

“There,” the other girl says. “There’s people out here. They won’t jump us now.” Hinata stares at her, wide-eyed, and she gives her a smile. “I’m Tenten. What’s your name?”

She flushes, ducking her head. “I’m- I’m Hinata. It’s… It’s nice to m-meet you,” she whispers, and Tenten gives her hand a squeeze.

“What was up with those guys?”

Her cheeks redden even more, staring at her feet. “I… I ran into them, so… I…”

Tenten squeezes her hand again, and when Hinata peeks up, the girl is scowling. “All that over something so small?” She’s angry, and Hinata feels a deep pit well up in her stomach – it must show in her face, for the older girl makes her face soften. “Hey. You didn’t do anything wrong, okay?”

Hinata nods, a little dubiously, and the two stand there in awkward silence for a moment. Tenten breaks it. “Hey, Hinata, do you have anywhere you need to be right now?”

The Hyuuga stares up at her, surprised, and shakes her head. Maybe she should be heading back, and Ko would be worried, but since he was probably looking for her right then… She shouldn’t be looking for him… “N-No. I- My, um.” She struggles for a moment, not sure what to call Ko to an outsider. “My… guardian will be looking for me, so I should wait for him to, um, find me.”

“Oh.” Tenten frowns. “Do we need to stay here, then? I was gonna bring you back to my house. Me and my dad are making dango.”

Hinata perks up a little. She likes dango. “W-Well…” she suggests, shyly. “He’ll… he’ll be tracking my, my chakra. So, it, um… It would be better to… to wait somewhere safe.”

The older girl grins. “Like my house! Come on, my dad’s always happy for one more.”

“O-Okay.”

* * *

When Ko arrives, they’ve moved on to grilling the dango. There’s a knock on the door, and Tenten grins. “I’ll get it!” she says. “Just watch the sauce!” Hinata nods, and the girl bounds to the door, opening it up. “Hello,” Hinata hears her say. “Whaaat can I do for ya?”

“Excuse me,” and it’s a familiar voice, one she knows very well, and she perks up. “Is Lady Hinata there?”

“Lady?” Tenten echoes, mystified. “Yes, she’s here, come on in.”

Hinata hears their footsteps, and quickly takes the dango skewers she’s watching off the grill, running eagerly to throw herself at her guardian in a hug. “K-Ko!” she says, and she beams up at him. “We’re… we’re making d-dango!”

He blinks, surprised, and smiles back. “So I see. Are you alright? Why didn’t you wait at the school for me?”

She hesitates, not sure how to explain, and Tenten steps in. “There were some boys bullying her, sir! So we ran, and she figured you wouldn’t be at the academy anymore cause it got too late, _and_ she said you’d be looking for her from her chakra, so I brought her home with me.” She says it all in one breath, and Hinata is kind of impressed by it.

Ko stares at her for a moment, maybe also impressed, before looking down at her. “Lady Hinata, is this true?” Hinata flushes and looks down, but nods. He sets a hand on her head, and smiles at Tenten. “Thank you for defending her. What’s your name?”

Tenten puffs up, pleased with herself. “I’m Tenten, and this is my dad!” He snorts behind her, and gives a nod – he’s a quiet man, and Hinata kind of likes it. She likes that Tenten’s not, too, though. “Does Hinata have to go now?”

Oh. She hadn’t thought about that, and Hinata deflates a little. Ko feels it, under his hand, and keeps his smile. “Well… if your father doesn’t mind, I’m sure we can wait until the dango’s done.”

Both Hinata and Tenten perk up, glancing at the latter’s dad, who shrugs. “The more the merrier,” he says with a smile. “There’s enough for all of us.”

Tenten cheers, and Hinata beams, both of them running back to the stove. “Th… Thank you, Tenten’s dad,” Hinata tells him, and he laughs, reaching out to ruffle her hair as she ducks her head, shy.

Both of the girls busy themselves with the dango, Hinata grilling and Tenten working on the sauce. The men of the house give each other smiles. “Think we can plan on future playdates?” Tenten’s father asks, and Ko nods.

“Yes. It would be… good for Lady Hinata to interact with girls her own age.”

No one burns themselves, and the dango comes out delicious and fine. The four of them happily munch on a skewer apiece, but it’s getting late, and Hinata and Ko should be getting back, so about half is bundled up, ready to eat later.

“Can…” Hinata starts, wavering in the door. “Do you, um. Want to meet up at lunch tomorrow?”

Tenten grins at her. “Yeah. I’ll come find you, Hinata!”

It’s a balm to her heart, the knowledge they’ll be together again, and she gives the two a quick farewell. Ko and her hold hands on the way home, and they’re quiet for a little bit, before Ko speaks up. “I’m glad you’ve found a friend, Lady Hinata,” he says, and she blinks up at him, surprised.

She… she hadn’t quite considered that. That Tenten was probably a friend now. That she even had a friend at all, and she turns red, ducking her head. “Yes,” she says softly. “I’m… I’m glad, too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> clearly this is no longer a oneshot

They’re ten and eleven years old when Tenten finally brings up the elephant in the room. “So,” she says, rocking gently back and forth on the swing – not too much, because it was hard to talk if you were REALLY swinging. Hinata, for her part, sits quietly on her swing, unmoving and tracing patterns in the dirt with her sandal. “What’s up with you and Neji?”

Hinata flinches. Wavers. Bites her lip. “What… what do- do you mean?”

Tenten rolls her eyes. “Don’t give me that. We sparred today, and I beat him because I knew his moves.” The younger girl looks up at that, staring in bewilderment at the idea of someone beating Neji. “He asked how I knew, and I said I’ve been practicing with a Hyuuga, and he asked _who_ and blah blah blah, he got all tense and stoic and angry when I said it was with you.”

There’s a long, awkward silence, and then Hinata exhales shakily, looking back down at her feet. “Neji is, um… He’s my cousin.”

“…Oh,” says Tenten, and she takes a moment to fit that into her view of the world. “Okay. So why was he mad? Is he like, super overprotective or something?”

“No, it’s…” Hinata hesitates, unsure, and then gazes firmly up at her friend. There’s an intensity burning in her eyes that Tenten hasn’t seen before, and it kind of captivates her. “You can’t tell anyone else about this. Okay? Father will be… He’ll be… very mad I told you.”

She nods. She won’t betray her friend’s trust, and Hinata steels herself. “He’s… In the Hyuuga clan, there’s… there’s a main house, and the branch house. I’m… I’m part of the main house, b… because I’m. The heiress. Neji… Neji is part of. Of the branch house.” Inhale, exhale, one, two, three. “All… all the branch house members have, um, have… a seal placed on them.”

Tenten frowns. “Is that why Neji always wears a headband?” she wonders – she’s never seen him with it off, after all, and it very carefully covers his entire forehead.

“Yes,” Hinata tells her, nodding. “It… When a branch house… member d-dies, it means that… no one can steal their… their Bakugan. Any… Anyone trying to take… take their eyes will just end up with n-normal eyes.”

The older girl isn’t quite following. “Sounds like a good thing. Why isn’t it on the main house members, too?”

Hinata flinches, just a little, curling in on herself. “It. It also helps… the main house control the… the branch members.” Tenten stares, horror creeping onto her face, and Hinata rushes through, averting her eyes. “When- If a branch member dis- disobeys the main house can, can activate the seal and it-.” She flinches, again, picturing something that Tenten can’t see. “It causes. A lot of pain. And d-destroys, um, brain cells. So. It can b-be used to k… k…” She can barely get the word out. “Kill,” she whispers.

Tenten is beyond horrified. This is beyond her comprehension, beyond her understanding of the world. “Is that- Is that _legal?_ ” She hisses. “Does the Hokage know!?” Mutely, Hinata nods, and Tenten is left reeling.

“That’s-“ She shakes her head. “Don’t tell Dad I said this, but that’s _fucked up._ ” Both girls flush at Tenten using a bad word, but Hinata doesn’t dispute it – it’s fitting. “And you’re going to be the head next, right? So you’ll be able to do that?”

There’s a lot to unpack, there, and Hinata could protest becoming the next heir. It might be Hanabi – it feels more and more like it will be Hanabi, every day, because it seems no matter what she does she’s a failure in her father’s eyes, but right now she is the heiress so she nods. “Yes. But- But I- I won’t, Tenten, I won’t ever d-do that!”

The older girl nods. “I know. Don’t worry, I know that, Hinata. And do you have to-“ Tenten swallows, but forges onward. “Do you have to keep putting seals on new members? If… more kids are born, or something?”

Hinata… hesitates. “I’m. I’m… supposed to,” she whispers, but she shakes her head. “I don’t want… want to. It’s not f-fair.”

Tenten relaxes a little. “Then don’t.”

“What?” The Hyuuga stares at her. “Tenten, I… Father would never… never let me n-not do it.”

“Hinata, you don’t have to tell him.” She leans in, hindered a little by them sitting on the swings, but intent nonetheless. “Just pretend you’re on board with it, and once you’re the head of the main house, abolish it. Get someone to remove all the seals, maybe. Once you’re the head of the clan, there’s nothing you can do about it, right?”

She mulls that over quietly for a moment. “Do… Do you really… really think someone could… could get rid of them…?”

Tenten nods firmly. “Yes! You might need to get a master, like- like Jiraiya of the Sannin, that’s Lady Tsunade’s teammate, but I bet he could!”

Hinata’s long heard of her friend’s love for Lady Tsunade. She doesn’t really need an explanation on who either of them are, and she nods, absorbing that. It’s… terrifying to think about. Pretending to follow her father, to listen to him, to obey him, and then- turning around and ripping apart everything he thinks is important.

It’s kind of exhilarating.

“Okay,” she says, and then she straightens up a little, firms herself up a touch stronger, and she nods. “Okay. Yes, I can… I can do that.”

Tenten grins at her. “Awesome. Why don’t you talk to Neji tomorrow, too? Clear things up.”

That diminishes every ounce of strength Hinata thought she had. “T-Talk…? To N-Neji…?” She blanches, and her friend can help but laugh a little at her.

“Yeah. I’ll help you, I promise.”

* * *

Neji has no idea what to expect when Lady Hinata’s friend swoops up to talk to him at the end of the day. “Hey,” she says, leaning over him at his desk, and he stops, glancing up at her. “Can I talk to you? Privately.”

He contemplates just saying no and walking away. It’s likely something about Lady Hinata – he can’t imagine that Tenten has anything else she wishes to discuss with him. There’s the small, very minor chance that it could be class related, but he highly doubts it. It doesn’t seem plausible.

Still, he should probably hear her out and get it over with. She seems incredibly persistent. “Alright,” he agrees, pulling out the rest of his schoolbooks required for that week’s homework and stowing them in his bag. “I assume you have a location in mind?”

She smiles at him. “Yeah. Follow me!”

Neji does. They pad silently down the hall, other children running by them gleefully, until she stops in front of a classroom he knows is currently unoccupied. That year is on a class trip, and he steps inside behind her. As the door slides behind him, he realizes it’s too late. They’re not alone.

Lady Hinata is standing in the classroom.

Neji immediately frowns – it’s not even a conscious choice, he just does it. “Lady Hinata,” he says, voice dripping with disdain. “What a surprise.”

She flinches, and his frown grows even deeper. This is the girl that holds his entire future in her hands, the entire future of their clan, and he hates her. She’s weak-willed, weak in general, and with the slightest whim she could kill him if she so desired – it’s certainly not an appealing conversation.

“I’m…” She says, and wavers, faltering.

“You can do this, Hinata,” says Tenten, stepping up beside Neji, and when he glances at her, she gives him a wink. “Trust me, you want to hear what she has to say. Hinata, you can do it.”

It seems like the brunette’s encouragement is what she truly needs, for the girl steels herself, nodding. “Neji. My… my cousin. I-“ She swallows, and forces herself to stand straight and tall. “I need your help.”

His lip curls, and it’s almost a sneer. “What can I do for you, my lady?”

“I need your… your help. I…” She hesitates, and she is so _weak_ , so pathetic and yet she gets to live her life without this brand, she gets her freedom and- “I need your help l… lying to father.”

Neji’s mind grinds to a halt. “You… what?” It’s probably the last thing he expected.

Hinata finally meets his eyes. “I want- I want to… to get rid of your seal,” she says, and if he thought he was surprised before, nothing could have prepared him for that blow. “All of your seals. It’s not- It’s n-not _right._ It’s not okay.”

His mouth is dry, and he swallows. “You… and what does this have to do with Lord Hiashi?” He refuses to call him uncle. Refuses.

“If… if Father knew I thought like this, then…”

He makes the connection easily. “You would never become the clan leader.” She nods, and Neji just… takes a moment to think this through. To take this in. It’s a lot.

In one fell swoop, Hinata has challenged both his perception of her, and his thoughts for the future. It’s a lot for the 11-year-old to process. “How… How do I know I can trust you?” he asks, and Tenten makes a noise of protest next to him, shoving him slightly.

“She tells you this, and you don’t think you can _trust her?_ ” she responds, indignant, but Hinata shakes her head.

“It’s… It’s okay, Tenten,” she says. “He… he has the right to… to wonder.”

But Tenten has a _point_ , Neji realizes. She has a very good one. Everyone in the house knows of the wavering between Hanabi and Hinata. Hinata has the right by birth, and that’s not a right that has been usurped as long as any of them can remember – but Hanabi is _very good_ , and thus she’s favored. By telling him this, if Neji decided to go to Lord Hiashi, he could easily steal any chance she has of becoming the heir.

It is a show of trust, a very big one, and he would be foolish to ignore it.

“She’s right,” he says, and the eyes of both girls snap to him. “This… this is a show of trust, isn’t it, Lady Hinata?” She hesitates, surprised, and then nods. “Very well. I will help you with Lord Hiashi in any way you require, but you must do something for me.”

There’s no hesitation, and Hinata nods. “Y-Yes. What?”

He eyes her shrewdly. “Let me train you. We need to make sure you become the head.” Left unsaid is the fact that Hanabi may not sympathize in the same manner as her older sister, and Hinata nods again. She’s like a marionette, nodding and nodding again, and he suppresses the thought. “And…” It’s a selfish request. It really is. “When you’ve got it figured out, can you…”

His hands ball into fists, fingernails digging into his skin and leaving crescent-shaped marks, but he doesn’t care. “Could you… take mine off first?”

Hinata blinks, and then relaxes – and finally, slowly, smiles slightly. “Yes. Yes, of course, Cousin Neji.”

It’s been a long time since she’s called him that – and especially since he’s seen her smile – and he very carefully returns it. “Thank you…” He hesitates, but. But. With all she’s doing...

“Thank you, cousin.”

* * *

It’s a week after that important conversation – though Iruka couldn’t know that. No, Iruka has no idea about the machinations his students are brewing (aside from the 11th prank Naruto is pulling that week). All he knows is this is one of the few times that Hinata Hyuuga has actually approached him.

“Excuse me… Iruka-sensei?” Iruka looks up from where he’s grading papers. School is finished, out for the day, but his students are always welcome to stop by during his office hours.

The Hyuuga heiress never has, and she’s clearly nervous, lingering in the doorway as if unsure of her welcome. He does his best to put on a disarming smile. “Hello, Hinata. Come in, come in.” He gestures to the seat, and she shuts the door behind her before taking it. “What can I do for you?”

She takes a little bit to put her words together, but Iruka knows this is her way. He’s patient. “I… I need your help, Iruka-sensei,” she says, and he nods.

“Of course. What do you need help with?”

Hinata wrestles with it a moment more, but when she looks up and meets his eyes, it’s with a burning intensity that she’s never showcased in the classroom. A backbone that Iruka has never seen appear before, and he suddenly takes the situation a lot more seriously. “Iruka-sensei… What… what do you know about Fuinjutsu?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have noooo idea how many chapters this is going to be! It's really going to be a series of oneshots detailing this AU - I'm hoping to have the whole thing written by the end of Femslash February, but we'll see!
> 
> i got sucked in by this AU r i p me


	3. Chapter 3

“Hinata!” Tenten yells, throwing her arms around her best friend from behind, ignoring her squeak and furious blush – it’s always been that way for her. “Guess whose team I’m on?”

The younger girl turns in her friends arms, still blushing at the attention she’s getting from the other students because normally Tenten isn’t _this_ affectionate in public, but does her best to ignore them. “U-Um…” She tries to think of people who Tenten would be this excited to be on a team with, and really can only come up with one name. “C-Cousin Neji?”

She laughs, and nods, pulling back enough to grip down at the shorter girl. “Yep! My teacher is Gai-sensei, and I’ve never heard of him before but he seems.” Tenten tries to pick out a word that truly encompasses what she’s seen of her teacher thus far, and comes up short. “I’m a little disappointed I don’t have a kunoichi teacher, but he seems competent. Lee’s on my team, too.”

That kind of surprises Hinata. “He passed?” She’s heard of him from both her friend and her cousin, of course. The sole kid in their class who couldn’t do genjutsu or ninjutsu – not from lack of competence, but simply physically unable to.

Tenten shrugs. “Yeah. I don’t know what they did, maybe gave him a special pass or something, but he’s on my team.”

Hinata absorbs this. “It… it sounds like a very. Um. Physical team.”

“Yeah…” Tenten looks like she can’t decide whether to grimace or cheer. “Treat me to some barbeque?”

The younger girl smiles. “Of course.”

* * *

Two days later, Hinata is unsurprised to see how exhausted her friend is. Just the day before, she had seen Neji come home, pass out, and not emerge until after dinner to prepare himself something. From the way Tenten is leaning into the tree right outside the Academy, she’s just as tired. “W-What did you d-do?” Hinata stutters out as she approaches her friend.

The genin gives her a tired smile. “Gai-sensei is working us _hard._ Food? Please?”

When they go out, Hinata buys the food. When they cook, they go over to Tenten’s house to make it together – it’s a good compromise that ensures Tenten never sets a foot in Hinata’s house, and the heiress nods. “Y-Yakitori?”

Tenten nods, and Hinata leads the way – but not before taking her friend’s hand. The brunette gives it a tired squeeze and stumbles along after her. “We have to get up every day at 6 am and run around the entire village! Twice! And then we have missions and team training and-“ She sags. “It’s so much. Too much.”

Hinata very carefully tries not to giggle. “W-Where do you- you start?” she asks curiously. “F-From where to… to where?”

Maybe if she wasn’t so tired, Tenten would ponder _why_ the other girl was asking a question like this, but she’s tired and can’t think straight so she doesn’t. “Um… We start at the thirteenth training ground. It’s where we usually practice, so we start and end there.”

The younger girl nods, tugging her friend into the restaurant. “That sounds… sounds awful,” she says. “You can… c-can rest now. Don’t worry.”

Tenten smiles, just a little. “Thanks, Hinata.”

* * *

The next morning, Gai is already there when Hinata shows up. “Good morning!” he greets her, performing a series of complicated stretches that Hinata doesn’t think she could remember even if she were an Uchiha. “What brings one of Konoha’s Blossoming Youth to Training Ground 13?”

Hinata flushes, adjusting her bookbag self-consciously. “I… um… N-Neji is… is my c-cousin, and Tenten… Tenten is my b-best friend, and they were t-telling me, um… about their run…”

Gai’s eyes gleam, and Hinata is terrified. Firmly, firmly terrified. He’s so loud and just. A lot. “Yosh! And you wished to experience this Youthful Experience for yourself! Welcome! What is your name?”

She twiddles her fingers. “Um. H-Hinata, sir.”

He laughs, booming and carrying so far she’s surprised the entire village hasn’t woken up. “Welcome, Hinata!”

And then Lee shows up, and Hinata repeats the entire process. It’s mildly terrifying. He’s like a younger version of Gai, except there’s something in the way he looks at her, that…

He sticks out a proud thumbs up. “Yosh! Hinata, will you go out with me? I’ll protect you with my life!”

It’s only Neji’s steadying hand on her back as he arrives that prevents her from passing out on the spot. It helps that Tenten smacks him on the back of the head immediately after. “Idiot! Hinata’s off-limits, Lee, you hear?”

Hinata is so thankful she feels like she’s going to faint, and Neji gently smacks one of her cheeks. “Stay conscious on me,” he says, a little amused. “If you’re going to join us for a run, you need to be awake.”

“R-Right!” she stammers, nodding quickly. Lee is contrite, apologizing profusely to Tenten and then he bows low before Hinata.

“I am so sorry, Hinata!” he apologizes, and Hinata’s face keeps its very red shade. “I did not realize you had already found a companion in your Blossoming Youth!” Hinata. Feels very, very faint. “I am happy for you and Tenten and your Youthful Romance!”

Neji or no Neji, that’s when Hinata finally gives out.

* * *

She’s not sure how long she’s out, but when she finally wakes up, her head is on Tenten’s lap, her friend leaning over her with a smile. There’s sounds of fighting and laughing in the background, and she’s… very confused. “Tenten…?”

The girl grins. “Glad you’re awake. I love you, oh my god.”

Everything Lee said comes rushing back to her, and her cheeks flame and she can’t quite meet her friend’s eyes, instead focusing on her buns. “U-Um…?”

“Our run got cancelled,” Tenten says, and Hinata relaxes a little bit. Oh. That… that makes the ‘I love you’ make a lot more sense. “Neji’s kicking Lee’s ass to Kumo and back – I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this mad before.” She giggles, and it’s a very nice giggle.

“Is…” It takes Hinata a moment to form her words. “Is Gai-sensei mad about the run…?” From the laughter, she doesn’t think so. But. She. Kinda worries.

Tenten snorts, shaking her head. “No. I think he thinks this is all a good learning opportunity.”

“Oh. O… Okay.”

She stays like that, head in Tenten’s lap, until Neji finally finishes his spar and comes over to check on her. Both of them escort Hinata to school, and Lee apologizes at least five more times.

* * *

The run goes a lot better the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im really enjoying this fic lmao. happy femslash february!


	4. Chapter 4

“I forfeit,” Hinata says. There’s a stunned sort of silence that settles over the crowd of genin and their teachers – she’s glad that Father isn’t here. She doesn’t know if she could bear whatever look he’d aim her way.

Naruto’s indignant, a few people down from her. “Oy, Hinata! You can beat Freaky Eyes! Don’t give up!”

She flushes, a little, at the attention, and turns his way. “Th-Thank you, Naruto, but… But I won’t fight C-Cousin Neji.”

He deflates a little, at that. Naruto, who has never had family, respects the bonds of family moreso than anyone she’s ever met. Shino presses into her side, warm and close enough that she can hear the quiet hum of his insects (a comforting noise), and whispers, his voice scarcely a murmur. “Are you sure?”

She nods, and says loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’m sure. I… I won’t fight my… my cousin.”

No one challenges her, but she can’t quite look over at Team Gai, can’t see their expressions. The proctor coughs and shrugs. “Match to Hyuuga Neji.”

Yes. It’s a good decision.

* * *

“Ugh,” says Tenten, lifting her arms and cracking her shoulders. “I can’t believe that Sand genin was the only kunoichi to make it through.” Hinata nods, making a hum of agreement. “To be honest, it was kind of suspicious.”

That makes Hinata focus, and she glances up at the other. “Suspicious?”

Tenten nods, very firm with her theory. “There were only six kunoichi, yet two of them got pitted against each other? And one of those was a double knockout?”

“W-Well…” The heiress considers that. “It’s not… like they could’ve know it… it would be a double knockout…”

“Still. Hinata, what percentage of the people in the preliminaries were girls?”

Between the two of them, Hinata’s better at math, so she figures it out in a few moments. “Th… Thirty percent.”

“And what’s the percentage of girls to guys for the finals?”

The answer is a lot quieter. “Um… 11%.”

“Exactly!” Tenten smacks her open palm with a fist. “It wasn’t random. Lee could have beat literally anyone else, except maybe Neji, with his hands tied behind his back. Weights on, too. Temari was, hands down, the _worst_ opponent for me to face. It can’t be a coincidence that you faced your cousin, the ultimate Hyuuga showdown, or that those two girls faced each other – they’ve got way too much history for a coincidence. I know you like Naruto, but he probably would’ve lost to anyone else, and something was _off_ about that Uchiha kid’s fight…”

She makes a face. “Something’s rotten.”

They’ve reached their destination, but they linger outside the hospital door, talking. “I… I g-guess you’re right,” Hinata admits. “When… When they let… what happens in my clan happen…”

Tenten finishes her thought. “Who knows what else there is.” That’s. Uncomfortable, for both of them, and after a moment, the older girl reaches out to cup Hinata’s cheek. “Hey. You can trust my team, and the other rookies, and our teachers, too, but let me know if you see anything else that seems wrong. Okay?”

Hinata nods, cheeks heating up. “Okay.”

The brunette grins at her, withdrawing. “Right. I’m gonna go visit Lee. Come and get me when you’re done!”

She returns the smile, watching the other leave with a wave, heading down the hall. Then, inhaling, exhaling, she enters the room she’s been lingering outside. “Hello,” she says, greeting the occupant to the room.

“Hello, Hinata,” says her endocrinologist with a smile. “Ready for your check-up? You look awful flushed.”

Hinata lifts a hand to her cheeks, surprised. She… she is. They’re warm. She thinks of Tenten’s hand on her cheek, and ducks her head. “Yes,” she says. “It’s nothing.”

* * *

She tracks down Naruto, two days later. Well. She tracks down Sakura, who points her in the direction of Naruto. “What do you want with him?” the other girl wonders, and Hinata flushes, pressing her fingers together nervously.

“I, um… wanted to. To thank him.”

Sakura stares at her a little. “For what?”

Hinata’s flush grows a touch deeper. “For, um… encouraging me. Even… even thought I didn’t fight Cousin Neji.”

Her fellow genin stares at her for another moment, before a knowing smile grows over her face. Hinata has no idea what she possibly _knows_ , because Hinata is telling the honest _truth_ , but it’s making her even more nervous. “I getcha. I think he’s over by the lake, the one not too far from the hot springs.”

“Thank you, Sakura!”

That’s where she does find him, practicing… something, some jutsu she doesn’t recognize, alongside an older man that she also doesn’t recognize. Naruto perks up when he sees her, and grins. “Hinata! What’re you doing here?”

Hinata’s embarrassed. A little lost for words. “I, um… I wanted…”

She doesn’t get to finish what she says, before the man leers at her and she turns pale, instead. It’s kind of. Okay, it’s extremely uncomfortable. “Your girlfriend, Naruto?”

The blonde laughs at that – outright laughs. “No, she’s got a girlfriend!” With that, he ignores him and the way his eyes go wide, turning back to her. “What, Hinata?”

Oh, oh no, she feels a little dizzy, and she can’t get the words out right. Um. What. “Who… Who is that?” she asks, instead, because that’s a lot easier than trying to stammer through her explanation.

The older man leaps on that – literally. Complete with a dance that makes Hinata long for Gai-sensei, he introduces himself. Jiraiya. The great toad sage. Hinata’s eyes light up. “You’re the s-seal master, right?”

He seems surprised. “Yes! You’ve heard of me?”

She nods, nods nods nods, very eagerly. “Yes, I-“ She glances at Naruto, and twiddles her fingers. “Could… Could I meet with you? Privately, s-soon? It’s… It’s about an important seal…”

Lord Jiraiya seems to understand her seriousness, and his comical attitude fades away like the drop of a senbon. Almost as if it was a farce…? “Can you get up early?” She nods. “Six tomorrow?” She nods again.

Naruto, for his part, is looking between the two of them in confusion. “Hinata, you’ve got a sealing thing?”

Hinata… feels bad. Because Naruto is very nice, very encouraging, and looks resigned to what’s going on, at being left out. “Y-Yes. It’s… it’s not. R-Really my secret to… to tell. I’m… I’m sorry.” She didn’t think Neji would be pleased if she just told his opponent about it. “I… I’ll ask if I can share. I t-trust you.”

He stares at her, wide-eyed for a moment, before he lights up and grins at her. “Thanks, Hinata! You’re pretty cool, even if you’re kinda weird!”

She turns red. “Th-Thank you.”

* * *

 

The next morning, her, Neji, and Tenten all gather. Technically, Tenten didn’t need to be there, but she insisted – she was a part of this now, and she didn’t want to be left out. Neither of the Hyuugas felt she had to stay behind, so there she was.

Jiraiya arrives after them, yawning, and looks surprised to see all three of them there. “What, there’s more of you?”

Hinata hesitates, gives a nod, and then glances over to her cousin. He nods. He’ll handle this one – and he does. He pulls off his headband and tells Jiraiya everything. What the seal is, what it does, their plans for the future… everything.

Maybe it’s a lot of trust to put in him, but there’s no one else they can turn to.

The Sage’s face grows more and more serious as the explanation goes on, and then he sits on the ground with a sigh. “You kids… are in way over your head.” He takes a drink from a bottle of sake that he pulls from nowhere. “You do realize that if I do this, if I figure out a way for it to come off, I’ll make a pretty powerful enemy in the Hyuuga clan?”

Hinata’s shaking her head immediately. “N-No!” His gaze snaps to her, and she shrinks back, but Tenten’s hand on her back steels her up. “I… I’m going to be the… the next Hyuuga head,” she says. “You… you won’t have an enemy. You’ll have _favor_.”

He contemplates that, swigging back another drink. “Favor, huh?” Jiraiya shrugs. “I’ve never really cared about favors.” Hinata’s heart sinks to her sandals, before he continues. “But I’ve never really cared about enemies, either.” He grins at them. “I’ll help you, but you’ll have to learn how to apply the seal yourselves. Plausible deniability.”

Hinata nods. “I… I’m already l-learning fuinjutsu.”

Tenten grins. “She’s pretty good at it, if I do say so myself!” The younger girl blushes – Jiraiya looks between the two of them, and something in his gaze softens.

“You’re good kids.” He pats the ground next to him. “Come on, Neji, right? I need to sketch out your seal so I’ve got something to work on.”

Neji sits, and Tenten wraps her arms around Hinata, squeezing. “One step closer, right?”

Hinata hesitates, and hugs her back. Tenten is very, very warm. “Yes,” she whispers. “One step closer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops i almost forgot to post my fem feb stuff today. rip. thanks for reading!!!
> 
> also? the (1) way i can tolerate jiraiya is if his entire pervy shtick is an act. which i doubt it is in canon, but i def don't mind writing him that way bc he makes me extremely uncomfortable.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a day late. oops. happy femslash february!

Unfortunately, nothing happens quickly. Hinata has more or less resigned herself to a little of very small baby steps. There’s the Chunin Finals. Then an invasion. Then, of course, everyone has to clean up and put everything back together and pray that Jiraiya will successfully return with their next Hokage.

As a Hyuuga, she ends up searching the rubble more than anything else – she ends up finding more bodies than people, and it’s so hard to keep it together.

“I don’t… I don’t like war,” she whispers quietly to Neji one night. Hinata keeps getting nightmares, flashes of what had happened and what could have happened, and she’s sharing her cousin’s room like she hasn’t in a very, very long time.

Neji hms. “I don’t think most people do.”

She shakes her head. “If most people don’t like war, why… why does it happen?”

“Sometimes the world isn’t kind.”

It’s not an answer she much likes.

* * *

She does, of course, hear a lot about their new Hokage from her best friend. “Did you hear what she did?” Tenten asks breathlessly, rushing to meet her at their favorite training ground.

Hinata stares at her blankly. “Who?”

“Lady Tsunade! She’s already here!”

The Hyuuga’s eyes widen, startled. “Today? What happened?”

Tenten beams. “She went straight to the hospital! Woke up Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei, and took a look at Lee, first thing! None of the stuffy elders or stupid paperwork got her attention, she went right down to business!”

Hinata understands why her friend likes her, and relaxes a little, smiling. “That’s good. How’s… How’s Lee?”

The other girl… stops. Grimaces. “It’s… not good. Lady Tsunade says that the surgery she’d need to perform, it…” She sighs. “There’s a 50% chance.”

“Only… only a 50% chance it will work?” Hinata frowns, downcast. “Poor Lee…”

Tenten shakes her head. “There’s only a 50% chance that he’ll _survive._ ”

Hinata has nothing to say to that, nothing but a terrified, aching hollowness that grows within her. She likes Lee. He’s a friend, a good one, someone that is a teammate yet not, and he loves being a ninja. He loves passionately fighting, giving his all, trying so incredibly hard, and she’s seen him improve in great leaps and bounds over the past year and a half. She can’t imagine Lee not being a ninja. She can’t imagine him wanting anything other than being a ninja.

But she can’t imagine him being dead, either.

“Oh,” she whispers softly, and that’s that.

Tenten nods solemnly. “Yeah.”

* * *

She visits Lee the next day. It’s afternoon when she does go, mostly because she spent the morning making oyaki at Tenten’s house. Never her home – never in that kitchen, but she’s always had blanket permission to cook at Tenten’s home if she wishes to. She has her own key, and even if it’s strange to let herself in when neither of the residents are there, she gets to work.

For herself, Hinata makes anko oyaki – it’s her favorite. For Lee… She knows, from about a year of treats and eating out with him and the like, that he likes spicy, so she attempts to put together a curry oyaki recipe. She’s not sure how it is – she… doesn’t really like spicy things, so she has no idea – but she knows Lee will like it no matter what, so she packs them up and heads to the hospital.

There’s no one there when she knocks gently on the doorframe, just Lee, sitting on the edge of his bed and _thinking_ , his eyes red from past tears. He jerks up at the sound, surprised, but relaxes. “Hello, Hinata,” he greets her, and that’s one of the least-enthused greetings she’s ever heard from it.

“Hi, Lee,” she greets softly, and she walks over to sit gingerly on the bed next to him, their legs touching. She offers him a paper bag. “I… I mad you some curry oyaki. It was, um… an experiment.”

It gets a smile out of him, at least, and he takes it. “Thank you, Hinata. I’m sure they are wonderful! Your cooking is always delightful!”

The Hyuuga blushes, ducking her head. “Thank you…” They fall into silence, and Hinata can feel the topic sitting over them heavily, can feel the aching hollowness, the tension in the air. She speaks up. “You know,” she says, swallowing sharply. “You’re the best ninja I know.”

Lee would normally take that with a blush, with embarrassment and pride and a lot of humility, but today he simply shakes his head. “I’m not. I…” His hands curl into fists, one wrecking the top of the paper bag. “A better ninja would not be stopped by this.”

“You’re not.” And that was it, really. “I… my ninja way is. Is never giving up.” It doesn’t matter how many times her father says cruel things – she won’t give up. It doesn’t matter how long it will take to destroy the caged bird seals – she will. It doesn’t matter how long she has to claw her way up the ladder of ranks, she _will._

“It’s… that’s you, too, isn’t it?” She takes a deep breath. “You won’t… You won’t ever stop b-being a ninja, Lee. Even if… even if you don’t get the s-surgery, I know you. You… you won’t, right?”

He stares at her as if he’s never seen her before, and Hinata goes red. “Yes,” he says slowly. He hasn’t come to any sort of decision, the girl can tell, but she can also see a weight off his shoulders that neither had ever realized was there. “Yes, yes, I will!”

And Lee beams.

* * *

Three days later, Neji, Tenten, and Hinata are summoned to stand before the Hokage. Hinata, at first, assumes it’s a mission. With Lee currently out of the running, it would make sense for there to be some slight shuffling of teams. Tenten is straight-backed, stiff-as-a-board and ready to prove herself to their new Hokage – Hinata and Neji share amused, but fond looks behind her back.

Tsunade smirks a little at the byplay, but slams down a hand on her desk to get their attention. “Right. I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve called you here.”

Actually, Hinata hadn’t, but now that she had _said that…_ “I’ve heard you three have your own little mission,” the Hokage says, and their hearts sink. “Something about, hm, freeing a bird?”

All three of them stop breathing, and Tsunade laughs. “Don’t look like that. I’m on your side here.”

Tenten purses her lips. “How… did you know, Lady Hokage?”

“Jiraiya.” And oh, that does explain things, and Hinata relaxes a little. He wouldn’t have shared if he hadn’t been sure he could trust his old teammate, she thinks.

Neji doesn’t quite lose his edge of tension, though. “You… approve?”

She snorts. “Kid, that seal is inhumane. It’s slavery. If the next clan head wants to get rid of them, believe me, I’m all for it.”

“You… My father c-cannot know, Lady Hokage,” Hinata manages to squeak out. “He… He’ll stop us.”

Tsunade nods. “I know. But I wanted to let you know that you have full permission, and if there’s anything you need from _me,_ I’ll help. If it’s reasonable.” She didn’t seem like a woman that would tolerate unreasonable things, and Hinata nodded rapidly.

She glanced at the others, and they glanced back. Tenten shrugged. Neji shook his head. “I… I d-don’t think we… we n-need anything right now,” Hinata says. “L-Lord Jiraiya is… working on th-the seal for us.”

“The one good thing that man’s useful for,” the Hokage says, and honestly, Tenten’s crush is probably going to get so much worse after this. “Good. There is one thing, though.”

The three sharpen to attention, and Tsunade leans forward with a bit of a feral smirk. “You have a lot of heirs in your generation. Not surprising, post-war baby boom, but.” An amused light dances through their eyes. “If you get the support of the other heirs, you might make your job a lot easier. Just a thought.”

Oh. _Oh._

* * *

She thinks about that for a few days. Discusses it with Neji. There’s no one on Team Gai who would be able to help with that. Team 10… yes, they were all heirs, but she didn’t really _know_ them. Team 7 she’d rather talk to, because even though Sasuke was the last Uchiha, that still _meant_ something.

But first, she talked to her very own team.

Kurenai-sensei had worked them hard, very hard, but she had a date with Asuma-sensei, so that left them to eat lunch on their own. Normally, they went out for lunch – but that was too many people, too many how could overhear, so she makes lunch today.

Simple bento boxes for all of them, some leftover oyaki included, and they thank her profusely. Shino is… Shino, and gives her the perfect opening. “You have something to discuss with us,” he says, pushing up his glasses on his nose. “Why? Because you have provided us food and insisted we stay here. No one will hear us.”

Kiba frowns at her suspiciously. “Are you sick?” Hinata shakes her head. “First thing I could think of.”

She takes a deep breath in, and lets a deep breath out. “It… It’s about my clan.”

Okay, now Kiba looks a little worried. “Are you not the heir anymore?”

Shino shoves him for her. “You are simply prolonging it. How? Because you keep interrupting Hinata.”

Kiba subsides with a grumble, and Hinata finds herself able to speak again. “In… In the Hyuuga clan, there are two houses. The main and… and the branch. I’m in the main house. Neji is in the branch.” If she stops, she doesn’t think she’ll be able to finish, so she just keeps going going going. “All the branch members have- have a seal placed on them. It stops people from… from being able to steal their Byakugan if they die, but it.” She swallows sharply. “The main house can… can use the seal t-to… to destroy their… their b-brain cells if they… they disobey.”

The two gape at her, absolutely horrified. Hinata stares down at her bento, her stomach empty but not hungry at all – just empty. Hollow.

“That’s-“ Kiba can’t find the right words in human, and reduces himself to barking and growling, shoving himself to his feet and starting to pace the training ground.

Shino is eerily calm – there’s a different between normal calm, and this calm, and Hinata can feel it all too well. “So you are enslaving the branch house,” he says.”

Hinata… nods. Doesn’t look up. “Yes. B-But…” She just wants to be done with this, wants to spit it all out but it’s _so hard_ , so very difficult, and tears prick her eyes. “N-Neji and Tenten and I, we’re… we’re going to get rid of them.”

“ _Good_ ,” growls Kiba, flinging himself down next to her, shoving Akamaru into her arms. The puppy licks her chin, and Hinata sniffs, feeling just a touch better.

“You need our help,” Shino says, with dawning realization. “Why? Because you have not told us this before.”

“Yes. You…” Akamaru licks her again, and she cuddles him close, drawing comfort from him. “You are the heirs to your clan. And… and my father won’t… won’t approve, so if you and your clans are behind me…”

“We are,” Kiba says, not even stopping to think about it. Shino nods as well, and the Inuzuka grins, feral but real. “That shit is _horrible._ We’ve got to stop it.”

Hinata relaxes, just a little. “Th-Thank you. Thank you… so much.”

Shino gets up, moving so he’s on her other side, both of her boys pressing her between them. A Hinata sandwich. “Of course,” he says. “Why? Because you are our teammate and our friend.”

Kiba grins. “Damn right.”


End file.
